Eyeglasses, including sunglasses, are worn frequently by a large percentage of individuals. Even for individuals not suffering from vision problems that require corrective lenses, many individuals wear sunglasses to protect their eyes from sun and bright light damage as well as for reasons related to fashion. Eyeglasses are often temporarily misplaced or lost permanently by their wearers when a wearer removes the eyeglasses and leaves them lying in a forgotten location or when the eyeglasses are accidentally dropped or fall from the wearer's face.
Conventional eyeglass retainers, also known as eyeglass or sunglass leashes or cords, are often large and unattractive in appearance. The conventional retainers are frequently constructed from material similar in appearance and size to a shoestring that might be used with a tennis shoe or to a ribbon material such as that often connected to a keychain or neck lanyard, and can be difficult to hide when worn by an eyeglass wearer. Conventional eyeglass retainers are also disadvantageous because the attachment pieces, which are typically constructed from an elastic textile or elastomeric material, for connecting to the temples of the eyeglasses may experience a loosening of their gripping or retaining ability over time and as result of exposure to the elements and to bodily fluids such as human sweat that may erode or otherwise break down the material from which the attachment pieces are constructed. As the attachments pieces loosen, the eyeglasses may become disengaged from the conventional retainer and drop from the wearer's body, thereby resulting in the loss of or damage to the eyeglasses.
Another disadvantage of conventional eyeglass retainers is that the material from which they are constructed are disposed to fading and staining by contact with the wearer's sweat and exposure to the elements.
A need exists for an eyeglass retainer that attaches more securely to a pair of eyeglasses than the apparatuses and methods currently employed by conventional eyeglass and sunglass retainers. A need also exists for an eyeglass retainer that is less visible and noticeable to other persons who are viewing the eyeglass retainer wearer. A further need exists for an eyeglass retainer that is resistant to fading, staining, and breaking caused by exposure to the elements and the sweat of the wearer as well as to abrasive forces experienced by the eyeglass retainer during wearing by the wearer.